A Friend in Need
by WorldOfMyImagination
Summary: One-shot. During a tough day, Ruby bumps into someone who has a few wise words to share.


**Author's Note: **This is a one-shot which I started writing over the summer and have only just got round to finishing. Like much of my writing at the moment, I don't know that I am entirely happy with it but I just needed to get it up. It was written to fit somewhere before Iain left Casualty and all hell broke loose (my poor Chloe :'()in Holby. It may seem a little random but I hope it's at least readable! I do have a couple of other stories in the pipeline, including another one-shot which I hope to get up tonight. Reviews are always appreciated :)

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Ruby Spark gave her order at the coffee cart and proceeded to count out the money, which she quickly handed over.

"You're twenty pence short, love." The barista informed her kindly.

"Oh! Am I? Sorry." Her face flushed bright red as she frantically dug around in her purse, sending it to the floor with a soft thud, cards and notes flying everywhere. She groaned in despair and exasperation, sinking to the floor to collect up the purse and its contents.

"Here." A voice came from behind her. "That covers the twenty pence and a flat white please."

"No, it's fine, I have the money." Ruby stood up quickly, all the loose articles clutched under her arm whilst attempting to shove several coins into the hand of the person who had just paid the extra money.

"Keep it. I don't want it." She smiled. "Ruby, isn't it?" Ruby nodded.

"Ms. Godard?" Ruby asked cautiously.

"Chloe, please." Chloe replied. "Honestly, don't worry about the money. Twenty pence isn't going to break my bank account."

"But..."

"No buts." Chloe insisted. "Honestly, it's fine." Defeatedly, Ruby withdrew her hand and put the money back into her purse.

"Thank you." She said meaningfully and Chloe smiled warmly back at her. After the day Ruby had had so far, this was the nicest thing anyone had done for her. She always struggled to show exactly how grateful she was but it meant more to Ruby than Chloe could know.

"Here, give me something and let me help put your things away before you drop them again." She instructed, seeing the items under Ruby's arm gradually sliding down. Giving a grateful smile, Ruby handed Chloe her purse which the doctor patiently held open for her whilst she shovelled everything back in. When Ruby had finished, Chloe zipped up the purse and passed it back before collecting the two hot drinks from the counter and handing one to Ruby. "You look like you're having a day of it." She said, hoping to open up the conversation.

"Oh, no. It's nothing." Ruby replied, not wanting to bother anyone, especially someone she barely knew with her trivial problems.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me. Is it about Mrs Roberts?" She guessed. Ruby's expression gave it away. "Come on." Chloe motioned. "Let's sit down."

"It was us that brought her in every time." Ruby said downheartedly once they had found a bench where they were well out of ear-shot from anyone else. "I know you shouldn't get too attached to patients but..."

"Sometimes you can't help it." Chloe finished. Ruby nodded. "She's one you won't forget easily that's for sure. You know, every time she came up to Darwin I honestly thought it would be her last. She was a fighter. Five months ago we gave her six weeks to live. She did well." Ruby accepted what Chloe had told her and there was a pause for a moment. "What about your colleagues?" She questioned. "I always find colleagues are a good source of support."

"It's...it's complicated." She shrugged awkwardly.

"Complicated, how?"

"Well..." She began, not quite sure how to explain. "I know Jan's my boss but she terrifies me." Chloe smirked. "No, really. She is lovely but I feel like when it comes to the job she expects us to just be able to get back up and brush ourselves down and carry on as normal. I try to do that but it doesn't always work. You probably think I'm a right wet blanket." She finished sheepishly.

"Don't be daft. Our jobs are tough, there's no doubt about that and bosses can certainly be scary, though you didn't hear that from me." Chloe motioned zipping her lips and grinned. "How about your crew-mate, Iain isn't it?" Her tone became serious once more.

"Nope, no way." Ruby replied quickly. "Not after everything he has to deal with." Chloe frowned, confused at what Ruby was getting at. "He struggles with his mental health." Ruby explained. "PTSD, depression. He tried to take his own life a few months ago."

"And what, you think that means that you can't talk to him, that he wouldn't want to help you?" Chloe questioned. "Do you really think that just because he's had his struggles that you can't too? And is he still struggling or are you just assuming that? I mean, he's back working, functioning. Have you thought that perhaps you're tip-toeing around him when all he wants is to be treated normally?" Ruby opened her mouth to respond but was lost for words. She had never thought of it like that before. She had been far too hung up on trying to make sure that she did not upset Iain that she had looked straight past considering what he might have wanted. "That's not a dig at you Ruby, please don't think that's what I mean. It's just that Iain is human. He knows what he wants and what he needs. The support he is receiving, counselling or whatever will be teaching him ways to deal with his thoughts and feelings, he doesn't need you guessing what he may or may not need. If you really want to help him then talk to him, ask him what you can do to help even if that answer may be nothing at all. He knows you're there for him and that he can talk to you if he needs it. Treat him exactly the way you did, I don't know, on the first day you met him."

"I threw away his kebab." Ruby said flatly. Chloe went to ask why but thought better of it.

"Okay, perhaps don't do that but you know what I mean." Chloe laughed. "Trust me, he will thank you for it."

"I'd never thought of it like that before." Ruby admitted, feeling even more stupid now.

"When I say don't treat him any differently, I mean be honest with him about how you're feeling too even if you think it's not important. Keeping things bottled up is never a good thing because they will just keep building and building until _you _hit crisis point. Your mental health is just as important as Iain's or anyone else's, Ruby. Don't forget that." She urged. Ruby nodded, taking in everything Chloe told her and determined to try and be a better friend.

"Thanks Chloe." She said. "Anyway how...how do you know all this?" She questioned. "Sorry, that was stupid. You're a doctor."

"Oh no, it's not just that, they don't teach you all that at med school. I've been there." She revealed. A look of horror crept over Ruby's face and she turned to stand up.

"I am so sorry I should never have asked." She said quickly, blushing furiously. Chloe put a hand on Ruby's arm to stop her.

"Ruby, it's okay, honestly, it's fine. If I wasn't comfortable telling you then I wouldn't have." Ruby turned back to face Chloe. "If anything, battling mental health issues makes us tougher, tough as old boots. At least that's what I like to think." She grinned. "It's not forever." She continued. "Yes, there is always a chance we can relapse and many of us do and will do so in the future but it isn't like once you're in that place you can't get out. We find ways of coping, ways of managing and all we want is to be treated normally. Maybe we need some TLC on bad days whether or not we admit it but honestly, the best thing you can do for someone with a history of mental health problems is be there for them, be their friend and you can do that for Iain, Ruby."

"I can." Ruby agreed. "And I will. Thank you Chloe and I think you're brilliant." She smiled awkwardly.

"Anytime." Chloe responded. At that moment, her pager went off. "I'm being summoned by Ms. Naylor." She stated, glancing at her pager and rolling her eyes light-heartedly. "I'm sure I'll see you around but if you ever want someone else to talk to then come and find me, okay?" Ruby nodded.

"See you around."


End file.
